- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 4 months ago by
.
- Posts
Awesome performance from State Man and fair play to Elliot for making it a proper race.
I’ve said it a few times and still believe the winner is one of the most underrated horses in recent memory. He’s as good as anything I’ve seen in Ireland bar maybe Istabraq and Faugheen.
If Hurricane Fly was in that race today, he’d have his work cut out to beat State Man.Constitution Hill didn’t get near enough credit for beating him so easily.
Was a little surprised that he made rather short work of IEP to be fair but then I am thinking that he is a fair bit better than anyone has given him credit for. A 6 yr old turning 7 with 7 G1 wins and apart from falling on his debut for Mullins, only one defeat in his last 10 races.
I re-watched last years Champion Hurdle and Townend never really seemed to try to put him in a race with CH (never picked up his stick at any time), may not have made any difference but there maybe something to his comment when he said he wasn’t at his best as it seemed he rode for the best possible placing instead.
Not saying he would beat CH but I do think this time around he should be able to give him more of a race than last year.
In his interview after the Champion Hurdle, Townend explained that he simply couldn’t go with Constitution Hill two out and just looked after State Man after that.
It’s only this season that the argument that State Man wasn’t at his best that day has surfaced- on the day, Townend said he was simply beaten by the better horse.
State Man is a very good and consistent horse, but Constitution Hill is going to need to have a serious off day for last March’s result to be reversed.
I think Constitution Hill will beat him easily again if on song but that takes nothing away from State Man. Constitution Hill is not a normal horse.
Nothing against Hurricane Fly but how he can be rated equal to Constitution Hill at 175 and 8lb above State Man is beyond me. His brilliance was his consistency and will to win. He remained sound at at a high level for a long time.
However, I believe Constitution Hill would hand him the same beating he gave State Man. I also believe if Hurricane Fly and State Man were in the same era, there’d be 1/2 length between them at most. On sheer ability, Hurricane Fly is overrated. Buveur D’Air at 172 is a joke also. Beating a 10yo My Tent or Yours is his best achievement.
Constitution Hill should be on 180 already in my opinion.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.